Devices for automatic regulation of timepieces



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Jan. 5, 1965 DEVICES FOR AUTOMATIC REGULATION OF TIMEPIECES Filed Sept. 8, 1955 United States Patent Ofiiice 3,163,979 Patented Jan. 5, 1955 3,163,979 DEVICES FOR AIJTGIVIATEC REGULATIGN GE TliMEilECES Thomas ll. Doiby, Fontana, Wis, assign-or, by mcsne assignments, to Amphenol-Bor Electronics Corporation, Broadview, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 8, I955, Ser. No. 53$,llii6 3 Claims. ill. 58-85.5)

This invention relates to improvements in devices for automatic regulation of timepieces.

This is a device of the general type wherein means for ordinary manual movement of the hands of the timepiece to correct the setting includes means to provide auto matically some regulation of the timepiece movement so that it will thereafter more nearly keep time.

A number of devices of this type have heretofore been devised such as the Automatic Speed Regulator for Timepieces disclosed by R. E. Holdman in US. Eatent No. 2,554,029 issued May 22, 1951, and the Automatic Regulation of Timepieces disclosed by l. Rabinow in US. Patent No. 2,542,430 issued February 20, 1951, whereas the invention as described below requires fewer parts, is simple of manufacture and assembly, with additional features of rugged construction guarded from forceful or clumsy manipulation by the user.

Obviously, if a substantial movement of the hands of the timepiece in a correctional direction is necessary, a greater correction by regulation is indicated, but in any event, a maximum change in a regulator setting must be predetermined so that .too great a change in rate will not result. Therefore, in the description below, it will be noted that in accord with the instant invention, a small change in the hand setting will produce a very small change in regulator setting; a greater change in hand setting will produce a greater change in regulator setting; but a limit is set upon maximum regulator set-ting no matter how great the hand setting requirement may be.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view of the rear of a timepiece movement embodying this invention.

FIG. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 to 11 inclusive are on an enlarged scale in which:

FIG. 5 shows some of the parts on the section on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, but with the shaft pulled upwardly,

FIG. 6 is an elevation of the hub on the shaft shown in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a perspective of the hub shown in FIG. 6 but viewed from an angle of about 130 degrees from that shown in FIG. 6. a

FIG. 8 is a section on line 3-8 of FIG. 5,

FIG. 9 is a section of line 8-43 of FIG. 5 but showing the bushing rotated to limit of travel,

FIG. 10 is -a section on line ill-Ill of FIG. 6, and

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of the hub shown in FIG. 6, but with part thereof broken away to show a portion of the hub in vertical section exhibiting the curve and shoulder upon which the hub i milled;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing an alternative form of this invention;

FIG. 13 is a section of line 13-13 of FIG. 12; and

PEG. 14 is a section on line lid-I4 of FIG. 12.

For the purposes of this invention, the drawings show frame 15 for a clock movement. This frame includes a frame plate 16 which is the back plate of the frame upon which most of the parts concerned with this automatic regulator are mounted. The clock movement includes a balance wheel 17 controlled by conventional hair spring 18 and, in a manner quite common in this art, the regulation of the movement is accomplished by means of a rate regulator 19 secured to a regulator fan The regulator 19 so embraces a portion of the hair spring 18 as to determine the rate of balance wheel operation. The fan Ed is mounted as shown in FIG. 1 to oscillate within a relatively limited range about center 2-1, and when so oscillated, the regulator 19 is moving along the helix of the curve of the hair spring changes the rate of balance whee-l operation as is well known in this art.

The periphery of the fan, in accord within this invention, provides a sector 22 of a worm wheel. Worm 23 is mounted upon shaft 24 rotatively mounted on upstanding portions 25 and 26 of bracket 2'7 secured to plate 16. It is to the control of rotation of shaft 24 and worm 23 for operation of the regulator 19 that the instant invention is directed.

In the description below, it will be understood that conventional means are provided for interconnecting minute hand shaft 23 and hour hand tubular shaft 29 with a gear train for the purpose of setting the hands manually. A manually rotatable and reciprocable shaft 3% has at its front end a knob 31 to be grasped by the fingers of the user and pulled forwardly (upwardly as seen in FIG. 2 or downwardly as seen in FIG. 4) and rotated right or left to change the setting of the hands. At the rearward end of shaft 3%, there is a washer 32 staked at 33 against shoulder 34. This washer is abutted by compression spring 35 positioned to bear against pinion 36. The pinion 36 has a hub 37 slotted as shown at 33 to receive a pin 39 extending transversely through the shaft 36. This pin drives the pinion 36 in accord with rotation of the shaft 36, but the position of the ends of the pin in the slotted hub permits of some lost motion in the reciprocation of the pinion with the shaft. Pinion 36 when reciprocated forwardly with the shaft 30 is thus adapted to mesh with gear 4 forming part of the gear train above referred to. Pinion 41 forming part of the gear hub of gear 4% meshes with gear .2. I have not shown the remaining portions of the gear train for connection to shafts 2d and 29 since such gear train connection is conventional.

The main bearing for shaft 34? comprises a cup shaped bushing 45 counterbored at 4-6 to receive acontrol bushing 47. This control bushing has a reduced diameter at its rearward end and upon this reduced diameter is staked a sector plate 5d shown most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2. Bushing 47 has a friction finger 4% to bear against the shaft 3d and thus tends to move with the shaft. The reciprocation and rotation of the control bushing 47 and the sector plate in response to manual operation of shaft 3%, and under control of the mechanism now to be described determines the regulation which takes place at the time the hands of the timepiece are adjusted, since the sector plate 56) has a trough-like sector 51 filled with material 52 to provide a friction surface positioned to bear against the periphery of a knurled wheel 53 on the shaft 24 when the bushing 47 and the sector are in uppermost position as seen in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, a control bracket 55 is secured to plate 16 by means of screw 56 and has a curved detent flange 57 extending in protective relation to the parts extending rearwardly of plate lid in the region of the shaft Tail. The lower lip of the flange 57 terminates in the form of a spring detent 5S shaped to bear against the margin of washer 32 in such manner that the shaft 3% tends to move with snap action to and from its forward and rearward positions in its longitudinal reciprocation. Furthermore, it will be noted that flange 57 is triangularly apertured at 59 opposite sector plate Ell so that a centering finger 66 forming a radially outward extension of the plate may extend through the aperture and interact with the margins thereof in a camming action as the shaft 30 and the plate it) move forwardly and backwardly. Thus the finger 60, if moved to its rearward position (lower position as seen in FIG. 3) will assure that the sector plate is centered in its possible range of oscillation as the finger moves to the apex of the triangular aperture, but as the shaft 30 is pulled forwardly, the finger is moved to the wide portion of the aperture (see FIG. 3) and the sector plate may be oscillated within the limits of the width of the triangle.

Exteriorly, the bushing 47 is contoured as shown in FIGS. 5 to 11 to interact with a spring control finger 65 forming the radially adjustable portion of a control spring as, the fixed terminal of which is staked at 67 in a hole in the bushing 45. The spring control finger 65 extends through the wall of bushing 45 at 68 and into the counterbore 46 so as to resiliently bear against the bushing 47 and to follow the tracks and contours now to be described.

A longitudinal track or keyway 69 is so positioned that when the finger 65 moves in this track, the" bushing d7 may not be rotated or oscillated but may be thrust longitudinally in response frictionally to manual movement of shaft 3i]. At the lower (rearward) end of track 69 is a portion of bushing surface relieved along a chord 70 of much wider extent than the track 69 and, therefore, providing a cam surface upon which the finger 65 may move as the bushing 47 is oscillated. In such movement, the finger is moved outwardly, radially. At each side of the chord 761, there are longitudinal track grooves 71-21 respectively into which finger 65 may snap if the bushing is oscillated sufficiently from the center position (represented by the alignment of the bushing with the finger in track 69 and alignment of the centering finger 60 with the lower apex of triangular aperture 5?.

Each of the tracks 71-72 terminates at its upward (forward) end in a relieved portion of the bushing surface along chord line 73-74 respectively, the proximate ends of which terminate adjacent track 69 so that finger 65 may, in travel laterally over such chord lines, drop into the track 69 if the bushing 47 is adjusted rearwardly sufficiently when the finger 65 is in one of the tracks 71 or 72.

The distance, longitudinally of the bushing 47, between the relieved portions 7374 and the relieved portion 7% is the same as the normal travel of shaft under control of the detent 58. Therefore, as the shaft 3t) is manipulated, the bushing may respond only in accord with the control of finger 65 in the various tracks and chord surfaces. When the shaft 3%) is thrust rearwardly, which is its standby position at all times when hand setting is not being accomplished, the centering finger 50 is moved to and held in center position in the lower apex of aperture 59. Also the spring control finger at this time is in track 69. These controls assure that the sector plate is in central position with the midpoint of the sector 50 positioned under the axis of shaft 24 and wheel 53 when a hand setting operation is about to be instituted.

Regardless, therefore, of any rotation of the knob 31 by the user as the shaft 30 is pulled forwardly, the bushing will move straight forwardly until the finger 65 takes its position approximately as shown in FIG. 6, but as soon as the finger 65 leaves track 69, the bushing may respond to rotation of the shaft. During rotation of the bushing 47, the finger 65 will resiliently respond to cam action as it moves on the chord surface 76 until finally the finger will drop into track 71 or 72 and prevent further rotation of the bushing. While the rotation has progressed, the friction material 52 has been in contact with wheel 53 and change in regulation has taken place. If the rotation of the shaft 3t) and bushing 47 has been slight, the sector 51 will have moved proportionately slightly for a very small change in position of regulator 19. Under such circumstances, the finger will not have reached a track 71 or '72. Then when the shaft moves to its rearward position, the finger as will move longitudinally of the surface of the bushing until the centering finger tit strikes the sloping surface of the triangular margin of the aperture 59 with an ensuing cam action returning the bushing and sector to midpoint as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6. Spring finger 65 will return to track 69 as the shaft 3h returns to its rearward position. Throughout this rearward movement of the shaft and bushing, the sector 51 and its friction material are out of contact with the wheel 53 and no regulation can take place.

An alternative, and still more simplified automatic regulator is shown in FIGS. 12, 13, and 14. Here the shaft 24 has a star wheel iiti instead of the knurled wheel 53. Shaft 3% corresponding to shaft 30 is mounted to rotate and reciprocate in bushing 31 staked to plate 16, and this bushing is shouldered at 82 to bear upon and retain a detent plate between the shoulder and the plate. This detent plate has a detent finger 34 to bear against the margin of a crown disc 85 fixed on shaft 305] as shown in FIG. 12. This functions similarly to spring detent 58 to assure snap action in the longitudinal adjustment manualiy of shaft 300.

Upon a stud 86 extending from plate 16, the helically formed portion 87 of a round spring wire 88 is mounted, with a relatively long operating spring 89 extending toward shaft 3% and an anchorage stud 9t) projecting into a bore 91 in plate 16. Operating spring 89 is receivable between teeth 92 of crown disc 85 when this disc is drawn upwardly (forwardly) with shaft 300 (see FIG. 12) and the operating spring is so short as to withdraw from its position between two of the teeth and drop radially from the crown disc as the disc is rotated with shaft 300. As the disc is thrust rearwardly in manipulation by the user, the operating spring may return to its midpoint position as shown in FIG. 13.

As will be evident from examination of the drawings, the operating spring not only is positioned to engage between teeth of crown disc 85 as that disc is brought upwardly against the spring, but it also engages between teeth of star wheel as the spring follows the disc in an upward direction. Thus star wheel 80 is rotated by the operating spring as the crown disc turns with shaft 3th], but there is a limit to the rotation in either direction since the wire drops away from the teeth of the crown disc as shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 12 and 13.

In operation of this alternative form of the invention, it will be seen that the knob 31 may be manually pulled upwardly (forwardly) to engage the pinion 36 with the gear 417. This motion of shaft 3% pulls the crown disc against the spring 89 whereby to position the spring between two of the crown teeth and, in the further movement of the crown disc, to position the spring between two of the teeth of the star wheel 84). Then if the shaft 3% and the crown disc be rotated to activate the gear tram for hand adjustment, the star wheel 80 is forced to turn until the shaft 3% stops turning, or until the spring slips from between the disc teeth and takes a position as shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 12 and 14. This limits the total amount of star wheel rotation in any one hand setting operation. The only Way in which the spring can be restored to its relaxed, normal position radial of the disc is to thrust the shaft 300 downwardly until the disc clears the spring, then when the spring has assumed its relaxed position as shown in full lines in FIGS. 12 and 14, the next upward movement of shaft 3% and crown disc will pick up the spring.

It is also true that until the spring 39 is swung sufi'iciently to release it from the disc 35 in either direction, the oscillations of shaft 3% may be reversed and adjusted so as to change the rate of the balance wheel within a limited degree under control of the manual rotation of the shaft.

The same is true of the stop action of the spring finger 65. Until the finger 65 drops into a track 71 or 72,

the manipulation of the shaft may continue in oscillation of shaft 30 and the degree of change in rate may be adjusted manually within the range represented by the spacing of the tracks 71 and 72.

I claim:

1. For a timepiece having a hand equipped movement and a movement regulator, a hand setting shaft mounted for manual reciprocation and oscillation, a regulator actuator shaft the axis of which is at an angle to the axis of the hand setting shaft, a radially extending member on each of said shafts positioned to approach each other as the hand setting shaft moves toward hand setting position, and a resilient member having one portion extending into the path of movement of the radially extending member on the hand setting shaft and having another portion shaped to impinge upon the radially extending member on the regulator actuator shaft for movement thereof when the hand setting shaft is reciprocably and rotatably moved, the radially extending members comprising a star wheel upon the regulator actuator shaft and a crown wheel upon the hand setting shaft, the resilient member being elongated and disposed approximtaely parallel with the regulator actuator shaft in position to extend one end thereof slightly inwardly of the crown of the crown wheel, said crown wheel having teeth to receive the resilient member therebetween, the radius of the crown wheel being of such limited extent that upon rotation of the crown wheel the resilient member is released from its said position between the teeth.

2. The timepiece of claim 1 wherein the radially extending members are radially shaped to approach but to avoid contact with each other as the hand setting shaft moves toward hand setting position, and the resilient member while impinging upon the radially extending member on the regulator actuator shaft provides a portion between said radially extending members comprising a strain relief in the event that the hand setting shaft is excessively reciprocated.

3. The timepiece of claim 1 wherein the resilient member comprises a wire secured to the frame and extending approximately parallel with the regulator actuator shaft while the resilient member is in relaxed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,542,430 Rabinow Feb. 20, 1951 2,554,029 Holdman May 22, 1951 

1. FOR A TIMEPIECE HAVING A HAND EQUIPPED MOVEMENT AND A MOVEMENT REGULTOR, A HAND SETTING SHAFT MOUNTED FOR MANUAL RECIPROCATION AND OSCILLATION, A REGULATOR ACTUATOR SHAFT THE AXIS OF WHICH IS AT AN ANGLE TO THE AXIS OF THE HAND SETTING SHAFT, A RADIALLY EXTENDING MEMBER ON EACH OF SAID SHAFTS POSITIONED TO APPROACH EACH OTHER AS THE HAND SETTING SHAFT MOVES TOWARD HAND SETTING POSITION, AND A RESILIENT MEMBER HAVING ONE PORTION EXTENDING INTO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE RADIALLY EXTENDING MEMBER ON THE HAND SETTING SHAFT AND HAVING ANOTHER PORTION SHAPED TO IMPINGE UPON THE RADIALLY EXTENDING MEMBER ON THE REGULATOR ACTUATOR SHAFT FOR MOVEMENT THEREOF WHEN THE HAND SETTING SHAFT IS RECIPROCABLY AND ROTATABLY MOVED, THE RADIALLY EXTENDING MEMBERS COMPRISING A STAR WHEEL UPON THE REGULATOR ACTUATOR SHAFT AND A CROWN WHEEL UPON THE HAND SETTING SHAFT, THE RESILIENT MEMBER BEING ELONGATED AND DISPOSED APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL WITH THE REGULATOR ACTUATOR SHAFT IN POSITION TO EXTEND ONE END THEREOF SLIGHTLY INWARDLY OF THE CROWN OF THE CROWN WHEEL, SAID CROWN WHEEL HAVING TEETH TO RECEIVE THE RESILIENT MEMBER THEREBETWEEN, THE RADIUS OF THE CROWN WHEEL BEING OF SUCH LIMITED EXTENT THAT UPON ROTATION OF THE CROWN WHEEL THE RESILIENT MEMBER IS RELEASED FROM ITS SAID POSITION BETWEEN THE TEETH. 